Describes the state of being held captive or imprisoned. Often used in literary or dramatic contexts.
彼は敵に囚われの身となった。
He became a captive of the enemy.
囚われの身から逃げ出すことはできなかった。
He could not escape from captivity.
囚人 is a concrete term for a prison inmate, whereas 囚われの身 emphasizes the state of being held captive, not necessarily in a formal prison.
Standard kanji spelling using 囚 (captive).
Alternate kanji spelling using 捕 (catch/seize); less common but valid.
Compound of 囚われ (とらわれ, 'capture') + の (possessive particle) + 身 (み, 'body, oneself'). Literally 'a captured self'.